Beauty: A Gracious Wholesomeness

“The majesty of Beauty is its gracious wholesomeness.” These words from John O’Donohue seem to create ripples of meaning for me, especially the words “gracious” and “wholesomeness”. 

What is gracious wholesomeness? For me it triggers two essential theological concepts yet numinous ones. Grace is unexplained unmerited gift. We are gracious when we channel that gift which is part love, part mercy, part kindness. 

Wholesomeness connotes wholeness which in turn connotes holiness. I suppose there is a fullness and completeness to Beauty which is gift and mystery and sacred. 

When we become aware of grace, when we recognize the holy, we touch or are touched by something luminous and mysterious. We engage it sacramentally by pausing, noting, bowing, remembering this invisible power. Authentic gestures which acknowledge Beauty are in themselves gracious and whole. They also hold us in a liminal space for whatever period of time, less to capture, more to embrace. 

When I gaze at and into the liminal space of light cast through and refracted by stained glass, I feel transported, I feel whole because I feel immersed in sacred Beauty.